Corset and the like



May 12, 1936. w. KOPS ET AL 2,040,657

CORSET AND THE LIKE Filed April 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 12, 1936. w. KOPS ET Al. 2,040,657

CORSET AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1935 FIG.

INVENTORS 76/ C ATTORNEZ proved fabric.

Patented May 12, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORSET AND THE LIKE Application April s, 1933, Serial No. 664,053

5 Claims.

This invention relates to garments of the corset type for confining and improving the figure, to a novel fabric construction for use in such garments, and to a method of producing the im- It has particular reference to the production of a garment of the character mentioned which is capable of stretching both transversely and longitudinally of the body so as to provide a firm molding action over the flesh, at points where it needs confinement, and at the same time to afford complete freedom of movement of the body without danger of slippage of the garment on the body.

Garments of this character heretofore made have been subject to various objections. They have been formed of several sections of material sewed together along suitable seam lines, the sections being cut to produce a fashioned garment adapted to conform appropriately to the lines of the body. This has necessitated cutting the material in such a way as to sever the threads and leave various loose ends which are then incorporated in a seam. In the formation of the seam, on a sewing machine, the needle is frtquently passed through a portion of the rubber threads embodied in the fabric and weakens them so that in the course of a comparatively short time breakage of the rubber filament is apt to occur at the seam and the garment will soon give Way at this point. Furthermore, it has been found, particularly in connection with garments formed of two-way stretch, woven or fiat-knit material, that the rubber threads have a tendency to work loose and, being under a tension, they creep into the fabric. In a two-way stretch fabric of this character it is impossible to bind the ends of the rubber threads suificiently tightly to prevent this creeping. It will be apparent that such creeping is objectionable because it not only interferes with the proper tension of the rubber threads but it weakens the construction at the seams and tends to provide greater bulk than is desirable at certain points.

In accordance with the present invention we overcome these difficulties by forming a garment of the indicated character as a continuous or seamless, tubular member capable of stretching in all directions against the restoring forces of rubber or similar elastic filaments. We accomplish this by weaving a continuous elastic weft thread, with or without non-elastic weft threads, through a series of elastic warps, with or without intermediate non-elastic warps, in such a way as to form a complete tubular member. By proper selection of the warp and weft threads and by suitably regulating the character of weave a tubular member may be produced which will form an excellent fabric for use in corsets. This member will be adapted to completely encircle the body and will be entirely free of longitudinal seams. The garment may be produced by simply cutting ofi a suitable length of the tubular member, binding the top and bottom edges, and attaching garters and similar accessory devices wherever these are desired.

It is not necessary to form the tubular member uniformly throughout. The figure molding characteristics of the garment produced from the member may be enhanced by varying the construction at difierent points. For example, the tube produced may be given a suitable shape, being broader or greater in circumference at those points which are to form the sections of the garments that extend over the hips or similar enlarged portions of the body. This shaping of the tubular member may be elfected in a variety of ways. It may be accomplished by the use of an expanded reed in the course of weaving or by changing the weave to a form which pulls the warp threads closer together at the points of the tube to be drawn in, or by the use of more filling threads in the section to be made narrower, or by the use of heavier rubber in the filling threads of such a section, or by the use of a filling thread under greater tension.

Furthermore, the character of weave may be modified at certain portions of the tube to ac.- complish certain other desirable results. For example a section which is to perform a heavy restraining or confining duty may be made of a closer weave or may be made in a variety of ways to provide a greater tension when stretched. The number of weft threads to the inch may be increased in such a section or the size of rubber core used in the filling thread may be increased at the points where greater tension is desired. A greater transverse confining action may be produced also by eliminating or reducing the vertical stretch of a particular section of a garment. It has been found that when an easy vertical stretch is permitted over a given section, it tends to relieve the transverse tension and interferes with the desired confining action.

Now, in any section of a garment where it is desired to reduce or eliminate the longitudinal or vertical stretch this may be accomplished by simply reducing or eliminating the tension of the rubber warp threads at those sections in the course of weaving. Ordinarily, when it is desired to permit a certain amount of longitudinal stretch, the

elastic warp threads are under tension when the material is being woven. After weaving and the web is taken from the loom this tension is removed and the elastic warps contract, causing any non-elastic threads to become gathered. Now, when it is desired to decrease the longitudinal stretch at any point, the tension on the elastic warps may be relieved during the weaving oi the section and the original tension-may again be restored after the weaving of the particular section has been completed. If all tension on the elastic warps is removed over a given section, it will be apparent that no stretching of these threads will be permitted in the finished fabric due to the actionoi the non-elastic warps. Should it be desired to reduce the longitudinal stretch of sections located, for instance, at the sides or front but not extending completely around the body, tins also can be accomplished by various methods. The rubber warps can be drawn into the loom so that they are closer together at the sections which are to have less longitudinal stretch or rubber warps of increased diameter can be used or a closer weave can be woven or additional non-elastic warps can be added either throughout the length of the web or for certain predetermined distances only. In a garment in which a firmer, transverse confining action is desired throughout a section extending from the top to the bottom of the garment, for example at the sides, a heavier rubber core may be used in the warps of these sections. This will reduce the longitudinal stretch at these points and will thus produce a greater transverse confinement.

It is ordinarily desirable, particularly at the back of a garment, to provide for an easy longitudinal stretch to avoid the danger of slippage between the garment and the body of the wearer as the posture is changed. In the course of bending over or sitting down there is considerable elongation of the dimension between points on the body at the bottom and at the top of a girdle. If the garment will not stretch freely in accompaniment with these changes in body dimension there will be slippage between the body and garment. It is not essential, however, that the longitudinal stretch of the garment should be uniform from top to bottom. Some sections between top and bottom may have limited stretch, or no stretch at all, so long as the remaining portions are sufliciently elastic to permit the garment as a whole to follow the movements of the body. In order to avoid danger of slippage between the garment and the body, the back and side portions. particularly, should, as a whole, .be capable of stretching more easily and to a greater extent in a longitudinal direction than transversely.

With this general explanation of the nature and objects of the invention, several illustrative embodiments of the same may now be described in greater detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of girdle produced in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a magnified view of a section of a typical piece of fabric employed in such a girdle.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the fabric, along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar section along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figs. 6-10, inclusive, are face views of modified forms of garment constructed in accordance with the invention, and

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the path of a loop of the weft thread with relation to sets of warp threads on both the front and back sides of the tubeof Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure l a tubular, woven garment embodying certain phases of the invention. The garment consists of a tubular member in formed without longitudinal seams. In the detail views of Figures 2 to '5, inclusive, and in the diagram of Figure 11, it will be seen that the garment is formed by a series of elastic warp threads H and non-elastic warps I! at the front and similar elastic and. nonelastic warps i3 and ii, respectively, at the back, all of these warps being interwoven with and bound together by a single, continuous weft thread 15. It will be understood that the particular arrangement of the elastic and non-elastic warp threads may be varied to suit the circumstances be used. Heavier rubber cores might warps at certain points and lighter cores at other points. The arrangement of the warps with relation to each other and to the weft thread may be varied in different portions of the garment, as for example between the front and back of the garment, or any other portions. Similarly, the weft may comprise alternate elastic and nonelastic threads or any other suitable combination of threads and the elastic used may vary in size at different sections from top to bottom of the garment. Whenever a change in size is made, the free ends of the weft may be simply knotted or spliced together.

It will be understood that in the course of weaving the tubular fabric illustrated. the warps which are to form the two sides of the complete tube will lie in a single plane and a harness on the loom will serve to pick up, say, the elastic warps II and the upper row of non-elastic warps I2, Figure 11, unit the weft shuttle to travel towardtherightofthisfigure. Priortothere-- turn movement of the shuttle toward the left,

all of the warps. with the exception of those desigof those designated and the lower row propriate controls it is possible to produce weaves of a much more complicated nature and a definite difference in the characteristics and appearance of different portions about.

In the course of weaving the elastic weft thread will be maintained under a suitable tension. Accordingly when the tubular member is completed and removed from the loom it will contract in a transverse direction, drawing the warp threads more closely together. By properly controlling the tension on the weft thread as the tube is woven, the transverse stretch of the garment may be suitably regulated. Should it be desired to vary the transverse tension of the garment over various sections, this may be accomplished, to a certain degree, by varying the tension of the weft thread used. For example, if it should be desired to provide a section at the waist with a greater restraining or confining action, the weft used may have a somewhat higher tension in this section. The transverse tension may be increased, for instance, by the employment of a heavier rubber core in the weft thread of a particular section. If non-elastic wefts are used in addition to the elastic wefts, the relative number and the arrangement of each type of thread may be varied to suit the particular circumstances. Variation in the number and arrangement of the elastic and non-elastic weft threads may be made in a single garment to impart different properties or characteristics to different sections. Furthermore, the employment of both types of thread makes it possible to definitely limit the trans verse stretch of the garment. The extent to which any section of the garment may be stretched before it is stopped by the non-elastic of the tube may be brought threads will be determined by the tension applied to the elastic wefts in the ing the section.

Having produced a seamless, woven tube in the manner explained, the garment may be formed by cutting off an appropriate section of the tube in accordance with the length' of the garment desired. The top edge of the tube may be folded course of weavover and stitched, as indicated at it, with or without the addition of a binding tape, in such a way as not to interfere with the transverse stretch of the edge. A similar construction may be employed at the bottom of the garment, as shown at H, and suitable garter attachments l8 may be secured in any convenient way. This serves to form an excellent girdle. While, as shown in Figure 1, the tube is formed substantially straight up and down, this is. normally quite satisfactory inasmuch as those portions of the body which are of greatest circumference are the ones which require the greatest confinement and this will be the eifect of the greater stretch of the material at these points.

Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown a garment l9 produced by a circular weave in such a way that the seamless tube is given a shape conforming more nearly to that of the body. To provide for a figure having a slender waistline, it may be desirable to have the garment taper inwardly slightly toward the top, as indicated at 20. This restriction at the top may be produced by using an elastic weft thread having greater tension in the weaving of the top part of the garment. This increased tension will tend to draw the warps more closely together and thus provide the desired shape. Such shaping of the garment may also be effected by changing to a weave which pulls the warp threads closer together or by increasing the size of the rubber cores in the weft thread near the top of the garment or by increasing the number of elastic filling threads to the inch with a resulting'increase in tension. This is indicated in Figure 7 in which the Wefts are brought closer together in the upper portion 20a of the garment I911. The spacing of the wefts may be gradually increased, if desired, in approaching the portion of increased circumference. Still another way of forming the tube with a drawn-in section near the top is to employ an expanded reed in the weaving of the tube. When the waist section of the garment is being woven the warps may be brought more closely together by the smaller end of the reed while for the wider section of the garment the warps may-be spaced further apart by the larger portion of the reed.

In Figures 8, 9, and 10 there are shown three different garments having a drawn-in portion 2|, 2|a or 2th at the top, a portion 22, 22a or 22b of larger circumference adjacent the middle and another reduced portion 23, 23a or 23b at the bottom. The shaping of the garment may conveniently be produced in any of the ways explained in connection with Figures 6 and 7 or in any other ways that may now suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. An advantage of having the circumference of the tubular member restricted adjacent the bottom is that the tendency of the garment to ride up will be more effectively overcome in this way.

In addition to this shaping of these garments, 1

certain of the several sections may suitably be of somewhat different character from other sections. In order to provide a firmer confining action at the waistline, as required by present-day fashions, it may be desirable to substantially eliminate the vertical stretch of the top portion of the garment. This may be accomplished by releasing the tension upon the elastic warps as this portion of the garment is woven. By so doing the gathering of the non-elastic warps is eliminated and stretching of the fabric in the direction of the warps is definitely prevented. If it is desired only to reduce the longitudinal stretch rather than destroy it completely, the tension on the elastic warps may simply be decreased accordingly. At the same time the trans- -verse tension of the garment may be made greater in any of the ways explained, as by increasing the number of elastic weft threads to the. inch. This construction is diagrammatically indicated at 2la in Figure 9, it being understood that this upper section of the garment has substantially no vertical stretch but a relatively great transverse tension. Such a construction will provide for an increased restraining force and at the same time will prevent the confined flesh from spreading longitudinally of the body, as would be apt to be the case with a garment having an easy longitudinal stretch throughout.

In a similar way the central portion 22b (Figure 10) might be deprived of all or a part of its longitudinal stretch and, at the same time, might have the elastic weft threads more closely packed than the top and bottom portions 2| b and 23b. This type of garment would have a desirable confining action upon the abdomen and the but tocks. Tension might, if desired, simply be relieved on the elastic warps at the front of the garment, as portion 22b is woven, leaving the back part of the garment free to stretch easily throughout its length. Figure 8 is intended to illustrate a, garment in which the lower portion 23 is restricted in its longitudinal stretch and has a greater number of filling threads to the inch than the rest of the garment, so as to more effectively confine the thigh portions of a person having an excessive accumulation of iiesh in this region. A similar section 23a. is provided in the garment of Figure 9 so that this garment is capable oi confining the flesh to better advantage adjacent both the waist line and the thigh line. It will be apparent that other variations in the form and arrangement of one or more sections of limited or no longitudinal stretch may be made to suit particular requirements of diiierent individuals and styles as to the confinement of flesh. These sections may or may not have increased transverse tension, such as may be produced by the closer spacing of the weits, as indicated, or in any of the other ways hereinbeiore suggested.

While various illustrative garments embodying the features of the present invention have been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of .the several parts without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention. It is not restricted, for example, to the production of a garment of the girdle type but may be applied to a combination garment extending from a point above the busts to a point below the buttocks.

What we claim is:

1. A garment of the class described formed of a seamless tubular member having elastic warps and a continuous elastic weft, said garment being capable of stretching simultaneously to a substantlal extent both longitudinally and transversely, a section of said garment adjacent the waist line of the wearer having elastic threads extending both longitudinally and transversely of the garment but being stretchable in one direction only, inelastic threads extending in the other direction in said section and being extensible to full length without tensloning the elastic threads in the same direction.

. 2. A garment of the class described formed of a seamless tubular member having elastic warps and a continuous elastic weft, said'garment being capable of stretching simultaneously to a substantial extent both longitudinally and transversely, a section of said garment extending completely around the same adjacent the waist line having the elastic warps incorporated therein under less tension than in other portions and thereby being stretchable to a less extent longitudinally than said other portions of the garment.

3. A garment of the class described formed of a seamless tubular member having elastic warps and a continuous elastic weft, said garment being capable of stretching simultaneously to a substantial extent both longitudinally and transversely, a section of said garment adjacent the hip line of the wearer having the elastic warps incorporated therein under less tension than in other portions and thereby being stretchable to a less extent longitudinally than said other portions of the garment longitudinally alined therewith.

4. A garment of the class described formed oi a seamless tubular member having elastic warps and a continuous elastic weit, said garment being capable of stretching simultaneously to a substantial extent both longitudinally and transversely, a section of said garment adjacent the thigh line of the wearer having the elastic warps incorporated therein under less tension than in other portions and thereby being stretchable to a less extent longitudinally than said other portions of the garment longitudinally alined therewith.

5. A garment of the class described formed of a seamless tubular member having elastic warps and a continuous elastic weft, said garment being capable of stretching simultaneously to a substantial extent both longitudinally and transversely, a section of said garment adjacent the waist line having the elastic warps incorporated therein under less and thereby being stretchable to a less extent longitudinally than said other portions of the garment longitudinally aligned therewith.-

WALDEMAR KOPS. STANLEY D. KOPS.

tension than in other portions- 

